Digital Commons Network^™

The Shifting Frontiers Of Belonging In The Fiction Of J. M. Coetzee, Dawn Grieve

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis is an examination of the fictional works of J.M. Coetzee to date. There are two aspects to my argument. First I posit that Coetzee adumbrates the prevailing crisis of belonging in the world and the universal yearning for a sense of connectedness. Secondly, I maintain that Coetzee prompts a review of the demarcation lines that divide and alienate in two ways. He installs boundaries that are shifting and. unstable. He also represents numerous frontier transgressions that expose the permeability of these finite conceptual constructions and reveals their potential for revision. It is my contention that Coetzee exploits the …

Using Interactive Multimedia (Imm) To Help Year Four And Five Students Identified As Experiencing Reading Difficulties: A Formative Approach, Grace Oakley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study involved four formative experiments, each of which investigated ways in which IMM (Interactive Multimedia) could be used to help children who experienced reading difficulties. In each of the four contexts, classroom teachers identified a number of students with reading difficulties, selected pedagogical goals for them and worked with the researcher to plan IMM-based activities that targeted the selected goals. The implementations were evaluated formatively and modifications were made accordingly, with the intention of 'fine-tuning' them to facilitate achievement of the pedagogical goals. Facilitative and inhibitive factors were identified during and after each formative experiment, as were unplanned outcomes. …

The Association Of Working Memory And Anxiety With Skill Acquisition And Transfer In Young And Older Adults, Isabelle Valk

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Two studies, involving a total of 184 adults between 17 and 89 years of age, were conducted to determine whether age differences in skill acquisition and transfer could be related to age differences in working memory functioning and anxiety. In both experiments, working memory functioning was measured using the Digit Span task (Wechsler, 1997) und the Reading Span tusk (Daneman & Carpenter, 1980), while anxiety levels were measured using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983). Participants were required to perform a mental arithmetic task in Experiment I, and a visual numerosity task in Experiment …

An Examination Of Fathers' Satisfaction With The Legal System: Exploring The Concept In Relation To Fathers' Experience With The Family Law Court Of Western Australia, Janelle M. Hawes

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Although the importance of fathers' post divorce contact with their children has been linked with a better outcome for the children and is valued by society, studies in the United States and Australia have suggested that up to 30 percent of fathers do not maintain regular contact with their children post divorce. To date, the literature has focused mainly on demographic variables and some personal characteristics of the father. An area, which has been neglected, is the influence of fathers' perception of legal proceedings and rules on their contact with their children post divorce. This study aimed to explore the …

An Action Research Investigation Into New Ways Rural Women In Western Australia Can Increase Their Involvement In Government Decision-Making, Teresa Maiolo

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research investigates the role of information communication technologies (ICTs) in the promotion of rural women's participation in governmental decision-making. The origins of the research lie in apparent discrepancies between the Australian government’s high-level, policy commitment to increase rural women's involvement in government decision-making and the continuing barriers to their participation as demonstrated by researchers such as Elix and Lambert, (1998); and Wilkinson and Alston, (1999). This research deploys a feminist action research methodology to explore new ways to increase rural women's involvement in government decision-making in Western Australian. The first phase of the research, a phenomenological field study, investigated …

Mental Disorder Labelling As An Extralegal Variable In Mock Jury Deliberations, Kristin B. Wallengren

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Previous research has shown that a number of characteristics of trial participants (extralegal variables) can and do influence juror’s judgements. This is of importance as only the legally relevant facts of the case should be considered during a trial. The present study investigates the influence of victim characteristics on the juror decision making process during deliberation and the judgements made about the victim, crime and defendant in a mock jury setting, as well as investigating mock juror gender differences. A representative sample of people eligible for jury duty in Western Australia viewed a video vignette depicting a trial, in which …

Father Role Identity : An Exploration Of The Construct And Its Measurement, Michelle J. Gobetz

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

There is relatively little research in respect of father’s and their post-divorce contact with their children. Preliminary research suggests father’s identification with the parent role may play an influential role in this contact. Though the Self Perceptions of the Parental Role Questionnaire (SPPE) has been utilised to measure father’s identification with the parent role, the psychometric properties of this instrument have yet to be systemically investigated. The lack of psychometric information about the SPPR seriously limits this instruments utility. The aim of the current study was twofold. Firstly, to determine the psychometric properties of a formal measure of parent role …

The Impact Of Corporatisation And Management Reform On The Role And Working Life Of Managers In An Australian Electricity Utility: A Triangulated Study, 1994-2002, Desmond E. Lehmann

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

For decades electricity has been a critical source of energy for all major industries, nationally and internationally. In 2002 the Australian electricity supply industry had assets in excess of $86 billion and accounted for more than 1.4 percent of gross domestic product. It is a major employer with more than 33,000 people serving more than 8 million customers. This study explores the impact of corporatisation and management reform on the role and working life of managers within the broader context of this industry. It is an industry identified by academics, commentators and the business media over the past two decades …

The Role Of Farm Dams As Refugia For Aquatic Invertebrates In A Salinised Landscape, South Western Australia, Jean-Michel Benier

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In a salinised landscape farm dams may represent the last truly freshwater surface resource, and therefore provide refuge habitats for the biota of wetlands affected by increasing salinity. One wetland threatened by increased salinity in south-west Western Australia is Lake Toolibin. It is listed as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention in recognition of its high conservation value, and remediation actions to halt (and possibly reverse) further increases in salinity are being undertaken at this wetland. Farm dams act as aquatic refugia if they convey resistance and/or resilience to the biotic communities of a disturbed habitat. This …

Perceived Likelihood Of Activity-Based Costing To Succeed In A University Setting, Nazmi Jarrar

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The study provides exploratory empirical evidence on the likelihood of Activity Based Costing (ABC) to succeed in a university setting and the association of this success with specific behavioral implementation factors. The study examined perceptions of Edith Cowan University's ABC users and preparers of the likelihood of the system to succeed in the University and their perceptions of eleven behavioral implementation factors identified by previous studies to have significant association with ABC implementation success. Results were analyzed so as to determine the significance of the correlation between the users' and preparers' perceptions of each of the eleven factors and their …

The Development And Evaluation Of A Childbirth Education Program For Malawian Women, Address M. Malata

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Childbirth education provided to women is an Integral aspect of the childbirth experience. In Malawi, midwives face a major challenge because one of their major roles is to provide childbirth information to women. However, there are no existing Childbirth Education Programs to facilitate this process. The purpose of this study was, therefore, threefold. First, it explored childbirth Information needs of Malawian mothers from the perspectives of both mothers and midwives, as well as strategies that would be appropriate to disseminate this childbirth information to Malawian women. Second, it developed a Childbirth Educational Program (CEP) to meet the specific needs of …

Experiences Of Anglo-Burmese Migrants In Perth, Western Australia : A Substantive Theory Of Marginalisation, Adaptation And Community, Simon D. Colquhoun

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The experience of migration and adaptation of ethnically mixed migrants; like the Anglo-Burmese migrants, has received little attention. This group began migrating to Australia, in particular Western Australia, in the 1960s due to changing socio-political circumstances in Burma. The examination of cultural issues in psychological research has operated in a number of different perspectives including cross-cultural psychology, cultural psychology and more recently, community psychology in Australia. The development of community psychology in Australia has led to the development of a community research approach by Bishop, Sonn, Drew and Contos (2002). This approach requires the exploration of the substantive domain using …

Identifying And Enabling Core Management Competencies And Compliance Factors In High Reliability Organisations : A Study In Organisational Risk Management Psychology And Training: A Small N Modified Grounded Theory Qualitative Analysis, Patrick S. Maher

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

High reliability entities governed by statutory regulations are required to comply with safety guidelines and specifications. When fatalities or serious injuries occur in otherwise preventable accidents these entities are routinely exonerated from any responsibility by claiming to have ‘systemic management problems’ and their managing coalitions have been able to hide behind the ‘corporate veil’. This thesis maintains that the core managerial competencies needed to prevent preventable accidents, can be acquired through training, particularly if their mastery is mandated by a strong regulatory and compliance regime. The cases chosen for analysis revealed ten core managerial and organisational competencies and compliance as …

Preventing Depressive Symptomatology In Children Aged Eight To Eleven Years : Application Of The Positive Thinking Program, Parma Barbaro

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Recent research has demonstrated that exposure to prevention programs can decrease the incidence of depressive symptomatology in children. Universal prevention programs for children younger than 10 years of age are scarce. The current study examined the effectiveness of an eight week cognitive-behavioural prevention program in decreasing depressive symptoms and anxiety and, promoting a more optimistic explanatory style in children aged 8 to 11 years. Effectiveness of the program for children with initially low or high scores based on the pre-intervention median score of the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI; Kovacs, 1992) scores was also examined. Children were matched on grade and …

Nigerian Science Teachers' Beliefs About Effective Science Teaching, Their Pedagogical Content Knowledge, And How These Influence Science Teaching, Morris A. Benjamin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigated Nigerian junior secondary science teachers' beliefs about effective science teaching, their pedagogical content knowledge and how these influence their classroom teaching behaviour. The research is underpinned by a conceptual framework, which establishes a strong relationship between teachers' beliefs about teaching, teachers' pedagogical content knowledge and classroom teaching practices. The study was carried out in two phases. The first phase involved a survey of all junior secondary science teachers (N=70) from the 30 secondary schools in two Local Education Districts of Lagos State, Nigeria. The second phase involved in-depth case studies of three science teachers who were purposively …

Exploring Community Development In Online Settings, Christopher Brook

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

As educators and training providers embrace online technologies, some researchers posit that the development of a learning community is perhaps the most fundamental goal of online instructors (Hiltz, 1997). The process for developing and maintaining learning communities, however, remains unclear (Bonk & Wisher, 2000; PaJloff & Pratt, 1999). This study sought to provide insight into factors that influence community development through an exploration of the community experience in online settings. To do this, it was necessary to establish an understanding of the community construct through an extensive review of contemporary literature. A review of the online learning community literature was …

The Use Of Proline To Determine Salt Tolerance In Eucalyptus Species And Clones, Andrew J. Woodward

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

There have been a number of studies that have examined the Eucalyptus spp. for their salt and waterlogging tolerance: but they have done so using conventional methods. A wide range of plants are known to produce greater amounts of proline when stressed, be it salt, temperature, 'drought or several other types of stress. This study looked at production of proline in salt stressed eucalypts to determine whether it can be used to differentiate between individuals andspecies. A range of Eucalyptus species and salt tolerant clones of E. camaldulensis were grown to investigate their proline response to salt stress.

Primitives And Design Of The Intelligent Pixel Multimedia Communicator, David K. Lucas

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Communication systems arc an ever more essential component of our modern global society. Mobile communications systems are still in a state of rapid advancement and growth. Technology is constantly evolving at a rapid pace in ever more diverse areas and the emerging mobile multimedia based communication systems offer new challenges for both current and future technologies. To realise the full potential of mobile multimedia communication systems there is a need to explore new options to solve some of the fundamental problems facing the technology. In particular, the complexity of such a system within an infrastructure framework that is inherently limited …

History Of Costume : The Consumption, Governance, Potency And Patronage Of Attire In Colonial Western Australia, Damayanthie Eluwawalage

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This dissertation represents a new' departure in the study of dress in colonial Western Australia, focusing on the rationale behind individual and collective clothing practices in the new society. As a study of significant social and cultural practices, rather than an account of fashion, this research contributes to the understanding of previously disregarded elements in colonial Western Australian ethno-economic and social histories. The study investigates the internal and external influences which impacted upon colonial inhabitants' ways of dressing, their societal attitudes and social demeanour. The research compares the influences on attire and finery in colonial Western Australian society with the …

Occupational Awareness Of Singapore Primary School Children, Joy S. Ang

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The introduction of career guidance programmes in Singapore schools had tended to predominantly focus on secondary pupils. The lack of proactive career guidance programmes for the primary school had been due to the misguided belief that children in the primary school still have an extremely long way to go before they enter the workforce, and that their career development had not yet begun. Studies have shown that children have a natural tendency to form firm impressions of occupations early in life. This has resulted in their adopting certain occupations and discarding others before they have fully explored and understood the …

Indicators Of Community Resilience : A Study Of Communities Facing Impending Natural Disasters, Julie A. Pooley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Disasters are defined as a 'crisis event in which the demands being placed on a human system, by the event, exceed the systems capacity to respond' (Bolin, 1989, p. 62). In the literature the negative consequences of disasters are focused at the individual level and fail to take into account the context In which Individuals live and where the disaster occurred. Few studies utilize residents within a disaster community to define the factors that are relevant to their disaster experience especially in Australian settings. This present studies view of disasters places the individual within an ecological system to understand their …

Quality Management In Australian Higher Education : A Critical Review, Trudi Cooper

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Quality management in higher education is a politically contentious issue in Australia. as it is in North America, New Zealand, and many European countries. The Australian government has instituted a quality management system for higher education that it claims will improve university efficiency, accountability and quality. Critics assert that the current quality management system is detrimental to universities and undermines the capability of universities to deliver maximal benefits to individuals and to society. Evaluation of the basis of conflicting claims is necessary to enable decisions about the usefulness of current practices and decisions about whether existing quality management arrangements should …

In The Space Behind His Eyes : Donald R. Stuart : A Biography, Sally Clarke

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The major part of this thesis, In the Space Behind His Eyes, is a biography of Western Australian author, Donald Robert Stuart (1913-1983), a colourful life story woven around accepted and persistent myths found in the Australian psyche. In his childhood, Donald Stuart listened to stories about his Scottish immigrant grandfather finding gold on the Victorian fields and his father's part in the 1891 Queensland Shearers strike. His poverty-stricken, but peaceful, upbringing in suburban Perth, Western Australia, was overtaken by the 1930s Depression and, as a rebellious fourteen-year old, he left home and took to the road. In the next …

Lecturer Receptivity To A Major Educational Change In The Context Of Planned Change At Rajabhats In Thailand, Anusak Ketusiri

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In accordance with the National Education Act of t999, the educational system in Thailand was changed after 1999, the largest educational change in Thailand in 50 years. The achievable aims of the change were divided into eight main aspects covering, primary, secondary and higher education. These were: (1) ensuring access to basic education for all; (2) reform of the curriculum and learning processes; (3) encouraging participation and partnership in education; (4) restructuring of educational administration; (5) enhancing educational standards and quality assurance; (6) reform of teachers; faculty staff, and educational personnel; (7) mobilisation of resources and investment for education; and …

Renaissance And Baroque Stage Technology And Its Meaning For Today's Theatre, Stan Kubalcik

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis seeks to address the understanding of the concept of old stage machinery. In addition, the research will determine the practical applications and meaning of old stage machinery for today's theatre. The approach to this topic will be more historical and practical than theoretical. A thorough examination of the history of theatre and stage technology is initially discussed. This is followed by an in-depth discussion of the practical component of this research and finally, the implications of this for today's theatre. Knowledge of traditional stage technology is a prerequisite for understanding the mechanics of stage technology today. A key …

Players' And Coaches' Perceptions Of Soccer Coaches' Specific Leadership Behaviours, Fadi Y. Ma'ayah

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research has examined players' and coaches' perceptions of the specific leadership behaviours of soccer coaches. The research was comprised two studies, the first a quantitative study and the second a qualitative study. Both studies focused on researching Yuki's (1989, 1994) 14 specific leadership behaviours. These are: (a) team building and conflict management, (b) developing, (c) supporting, (d) rewarding, (e) recognising, (I) motivating and inspiring, {g) delegating. (h) consulting, (i) problem solving, (j) planning, (k) monitoring, (1) clarifying, (m) informing, and (n) networking. Subjects for Study I were 400 randomly selected soccer players and 40 randomly selected soccer coaches. The …

A Softer Side To Men, Michael J. Lenney

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

“I am on time. It’s the afternoon of my medical for life-insurance suitability. The AMP building in Sydney is my destination. I arrive with about twenty minutes to spare. I don’t remember the receptionist. I don’t remember the faces of the doctors who attended me that day. All I can remember is that I could see the clouds passing over the glass ceiling as my blood pressure was taken several times. The first doctor took my blood pressure three times before seeking another opinion. The second doctor confirmed his fears. I was in the “too high” risk category. At the …

Analysis Of Human Thermal Comfort Using A Coupled Model For Predicting Human Body-Environment Heat And Mass Exchange, Ahmed M. Al-Mogbel

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Recent advances in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) make it possible to accurately predict many features of airflow within ventilated spaces. The present study investigates thermal comfort aspects of an occupant in a conditioned space, using a CFD code.

The heat and mass transfer between the human body and the surrounding environment is analyzed by a coupled model that accounts for dispersal of metabolically generated heat in the body to the surroundings by the combined mechanisms of radiation, convection, respiration and evaporation. A two-node model in which two coupled non-linear algebraic equations govern the skin temperature and the body core temperature …

Digital Library Services For Three-Dimensional Models, Hesham Anan

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

With the growth in computing, storage and networking infrastructure, it is becoming increasingly feasible for multimedia professionals—such as graphic designers in commercial, manufacturing, scientific and entertainment areas—to work with 3D digital models of the objects with which they deal in their domain. Unfortunately most of these models exist in individual repositories, and are not accessible to geographically distributed professionals who are in need of them.

Building an efficient digital library system presents a number of challenges. In particular, the following issues need to be addressed: (1) What is the best way of representing 3D models in a digital library, so …

An Investigation Of Dissolved Organic Matter In A Shallow Coastal Bay Subject To Aureococcus Anophagefferens Blooms, Jean-Paul Simjouw

OES Theses and Dissertations

Aureococcus anophagefferens, the pelagophyte responsible for brown tide blooms, was identified in Chincoteague Bay in 1997 and has “bloomed” there since at least 1998. Aureococcus anophagefferens is capable of using dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) substrates to support growth, and this utilization is hypothesized to give the organism a competitive advantage relative to other phytoplankton when inorganic nutrient concentrations are low or depleted. Because previous studies suggest dissolved organic matter (DOM) is important in initiating and sustaining brown tide blooms, a field study of the variations in DOC concentration and DOM composition was performed at …